In an initiative to make parents happy, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will start grading of board-affiliated schools. The schools will be rated on parameters like curriculum, scholastic and co-scholastic activities, teacher-student ratio and number of teachers. Informing about the decision, CBSE officials of Ajmer region, said “Plans were being made to implement it from the next academic session and parameters were being finalised for grading.” “How the schools will be graded and on what parameters is being decided and will be implemented soon,” said Pushpa Wadhwa, a CBSE official.

It will help the parents make a decision about school the child can be enrolled in. Speaking to dna, CBSE officials said on the lines of accreditation in higher education like National Assessment and Accreditation (NAC), the board plans to implement the scheme in school education.

Initiating the process on a pilot basis, CBSE is starting SQAA (school quality analysis and accreditation) which is an optional scheme for the schools as of now. The schools willing to be graded to attract students can approach CBSE and score over others and provide the parents with a better option of school for their children.

“Naturally, everybody would like to get their children admitted in graded schools and there will be a rush for such schools,” said a senior teacher. If the pilot process receives favourable feedback, the scheme can be made compulsory for all the CBSE-affiliated schools and if the schools do not apply for grading in 3-4 years, then the board may also cancel the affiliation. The parameters on which the schools will be rated have been decided by an accreditation agency.

“The schools will be given time to comply with the parameters and will be rated again after improvement. The objective of the scheme is to make parents aware of the quality of the school so they can decide about the school to be chosen,” said a CBSE official.